West Ham 2-3 Tottenham: Bale screamer moves Spurs up to third

By Greg Stobart

Welshman scores two on the night, including sensational last-minute winner to take tally for the season up to 15 league goals

LONDON - Gareth Bale scored a sensational last-minute winner as Tottenham beat rival West Ham 3-2 to move up to third in the Premier League in a thrilling encounter at Upton Park.

The Welshman took his tally for the season to 15 league goals as he slammed a 35-yards rocket into the top corner past West Ham goalkeeper Jaaskelainen, who was fantastic throughout the night.

Bale had himself put Spurs ahead in the 13th minute from the edge of the penalty area before Andy Carroll equalised with a penalty 12 minutes later.

West Ham took the lead in the second half when Joe Cole tucked the ball in to the far corner from a tight angle, but Gylfi Sigurdsson equalised from close range 14 minutes from time.

The game seemed to be heading for a draw before Bale struck at the death to move Spurs up to third place in the race for the Champions League, two points ahead of Chelsea and four points above north London rivals Arsenal.

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce made four changes to the side that lost against Aston Villa, with James Collins returning in central defense and recalls for Guy Demel, Gary O’Neil and Matt Jarvis with Mark Noble ruled out through injury.

Hugo Lloris was restored as Tottenham’s goalkeeper in place of Brad Friedel as Andre Villas-Boas went for height in defense, playing Jan Vertonghen at left back with Michael Dawson and Steven Caulker paired in central defense.

Before kick off, West Ham honored Bobby Moore on the 20th anniversary of his death, the World Cup-winning captain’s name rang around Upton Park during a minute’s applause with the former defender’s family on the touchline.

It led to a blood-and-thunder opening to the game as tackles flew in and the rival fans goaded each other on a crisp, floodnight evening in east London.

Allardyce identified Bale as the man to stop before the game, so he must have been furious with the ease in which the Welshman put Spurs ahead in the 13th minute.

Demel’s lazy pass gave possession straight to Bale 25 yards from goal and the Tottenham man worked the ball on to his left foot before firing low across goal into the bottom corner.

Yet West Ham responded and drew level in the 25th minute as Carroll scored just his third goal of the season.

The on-loan Liverpool striker won the spot kick as he went down under a challenge from former Hammer Scott Parker, whose challenge was reckless despite him getting a touch on the ball. Carroll made no mistake as he rammed the ball into the top corner from 12 yards.

West Ham had goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen to thank for keeping the club in the game as he made two athletic saves either side of the break to keep out almost identical headers from Caulker.

The Finn then made a brilliant double save in the 56th minute, tipping substitute Sigurdsson’s curling shot on to the post and reacting quickly to save Emmanuel Adebayor’s header when the Spurs striker should have scored the rebound.

Two minutes later, the hosts took the lead. Joey O’Brien played a long pass to Cole, who stayed onside before bringing the ball down and somehow turning it into the far corner from a tight angle.

Jaaskelainen then produced more heroics with his best save of the night, touching Bale’s curling effort on to the crossbar at full stretch.

Not to be upstaged, Lloris made a superb stop of his own to deny Taylor after the West Ham substitute was put through on goal by Cole’s clever pass.

Fourteen minutes from time, Tottenham leveled with the scrappiest of goals. West Ham completely failed to deal with a free kick delivered from the right by Bale and after the ball pinballed around the penalty area Sigurdsson was able to scuff home from two yards.

Then as the clock ticked to 90 minutes, Bale demanded the ball in central midfielder, shifted it on to his left foot and rammed a shot into the top corner so powerful that even Jaaskelainen could do nothing. Stunning.